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Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Indonesia's Flores Island, 5 Dead — AI-generated representative image: Damaged buildings and residents in a coastal town on Indonesia's Flores Island after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake.

Editorial Team

Powerful offshore quake triggers tsunami warning and widespread damage across East Nusa Tenggara province

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores Island early on Saturday, killing at least five people and causing widespread damage across East Nusa Tenggara province.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake hit at 5:58am local time (21:58 GMT Friday), with an epicentre about 68 kilometres (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende and a depth of 10km (6.2 miles).

The disaster has left emergency teams racing to reach affected communities as power outages complicate search and rescue operations. Officials warn the death toll is likely to climb as responders work through the aftermath.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," making it one of the most seismically active nations on Earth, and this earthquake has renewed attention on the vulnerability of communities across its roughly 17,000 islands.

Confirmed Casualties and Damage

East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko said preliminary reports indicated two deaths in Sikka Regency and three in Manggarai Regency, with the earthquake causing severe damage and collapsing buildings. Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena told journalists the five victims died from collapsing rubble as they slept.

Three aftershocks followed within half an hour of the main quake, measuring magnitudes 5.9, 5.6 and 6.1. Local media footage showed extensive damage to buildings, with areas around the Maumere region sustaining severe impact.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a tsunami warning for affected coastlines, urging residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks and move to higher ground. That warning has since been lifted.

Historical Context and Seismic Risk

Indonesia, a nation of more than 270 million people spread across roughly 17,000 islands, sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and is one of the world's most seismically active countries.

The same stretch of coastline was struck by a similarly powerful earthquake in December 1992, when the quake and the tsunami it triggered killed more than 2,500 people on Flores. That disaster remains one of the deadliest in the island's modern history and underscores the recurring threat faced by coastal communities in the region.

USGS estimates suggest more than half a million people on Flores Island are likely to have experienced very strong shaking from Saturday's earthquake, with moderate to strong shaking felt by several million more people across the wider region.

Emergency Response and Access Challenges

Outages in cities and villages have hampered the flow of information and complicated search and rescue efforts, according to police chief Darmoko. Local authorities said they were continuing to monitor the situation and assess the risk of further aftershocks in the hours ahead.

Reporting from Jakarta, Al Jazeera's Jessica Washington said the aftershocks could persist for "several days," according to local weather agencies. In northern parts of the island, residents have been ordered to evacuate, and Washington noted that "many houses have been damaged."

Washington added that local authorities are unable to reach several affected areas, which remain inaccessible to first responders and assistance. Authorities have advised residents to stay away from the shores and buildings.

What Lies Ahead

The death toll is expected to climb further as emergency teams continue working through the aftermath, according to officials. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, and several affected areas remain difficult for responders to reach.

Local authorities continue to monitor the risk of additional aftershocks, which weather agencies have warned could persist for several days. Further official updates on casualties and damage are awaited.